Understanding Mental Health Diagnoses
 A broken arm. High blood pressure. Diabetes. When our primary care physicians diagnose us with one of these problems, we usually understand what it means. But when a therapist or psychiatrist makes a mental health diagnosis, many people feel confused, overwhelmed, and even scared. Taking control of your total health and well-being means being informed about what you are being treated for. A mental health provider should be able to explain your diagnosis, as well as the different types of treatment available for your condition – so don’t be afraid to ask! This is particularly important with mental health issues, since YOU are often the primary tool for change and healing. You can’t solve a problem if you don’t really know what it is.
It’s also important to remember that many mental health diagnoses are widely misunderstood. Don’t rely solely on information you get from the internet or from friends. Always double-check this information with a qualified professional (your doctor, psychiatrist, or therapist).
Below are some commonly diagnosed psychiatric conditions, as defined by the Mayo Clinic (www.mayoclinic.com).
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
ADHD is a chronic condition that affects millions of children and often persists into adulthood. ADHD includes some combination of problems, such as difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior. Children with ADHD also may struggle with low self-esteem, troubled relationships, and poor performance in school.
While treatment won't cure ADHD, it can help a great deal with symptoms. Treatment typically involves medications and behavioral interventions.
A diagnosis of ADHD can be scary, and symptoms can be a challenge for parents and children alike. However, treatment can make a big difference, and most children with ADHD grow up to be normal adults.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD is an anxiety disorder characterized by unreasonable thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead you to do repetitive behaviors (compulsions). With obsessive-compulsive disorder, you may realize that your obsessions aren't reasonable, and you may try to ignore them or stop them. But that only increases your distress and anxiety. Ultimately, you feel driven to perform compulsive acts in an effort to ease your stressful feelings.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder often centers around themes, such as a fear of getting contaminated by germs. To ease your contamination fears, you may compulsively wash your hands until they're sore and chapped. Despite your efforts, thoughts of obsessive-compulsive behavior keep coming back. This leads to more ritualistic behavior — and a vicious cycle that's characteristic of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Depression
Depression is a medical illness that involves the mind and body. Also called major depression, major depressive disorder, and clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think, and behave. Depression can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and depression may make you feel as if life isn't worth living.
More than just a bout of the blues, depression isn't a weakness, nor is it something that you can simply "snap out" of. Depression is a chronic illness that usually requires long-term treatment, like diabetes or high blood pressure. But don't get discouraged. Most people with depression feel better with medication, psychological counseling, or other treatment.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a normal part of life. It can even be useful when it alerts us to danger. But for some people, anxiety is a persistent problem that interferes with daily activities such as work, school, or sleep. This type of anxiety can disrupt relationships and enjoyment of life, and over time it can lead to health concerns and other problems.
In some cases, anxiety is a diagnosable mental health condition that requires treatment. Generalized anxiety disorder, for example, is characterized by persistent worry about major or minor concerns. Other anxiety disorders — such as panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) — have more specific triggers and symptoms. In some cases, anxiety is caused by a medical condition that needs treatment.
Whatever form of anxiety you have, medications, counseling, or lifestyle changes can generally help.
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar Disorder – sometimes called manic-depressive disorder — causes mood swings that range from the lows of depression to the highs of mania. When you become depressed, you may feel sad or hopeless and lose interest or pleasure in most activities. When your mood shifts in the other direction, you may feel euphoric and full of energy. Mood shifts may occur only a few times a year, or as often as several times a day. In some cases, bipolar disorder causes symptoms of depression and mania at the same time.
Although bipolar disorder is a disruptive, long-term condition, you can keep your moods in check by following a treatment plan. In most cases, bipolar disorder can be controlled with medications and psychological counseling (psychotherapy).
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a group of severe brain disorders in which people interpret reality abnormally. Schizophrenia may result in some combination of hallucinations, delusions, and disordered thinking and behavior. The ability of people with schizophrenia to function normally and to care for themselves tends to deteriorate over time.
Contrary to some popular belief, schizophrenia isn't split personality or multiple personality. The word "schizophrenia" does mean "split mind," but it refers to a disruption of the usual balance of emotions and thinking.
Schizophrenia is a chronic condition, requiring lifelong treatment.
Source
MINES & Associates' HealthPsychology Team
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For 30 years, MINES & Associates has been a nationally recognized business psychology firm that provides a variety of services to corporate employers, including: employee assistance programs (EAP), managed behavioral healthcare, organizational development and psychology services, wellness programs, behavioral risk management, disease management, PPO services, and a number of other technology based services.
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